Liberal candidate Wendy Yuan denies playing the race card (Oct 11, Georgia Straight)

Patrick Tam

A story in local press erupts over concerns raised by local political photographer, Patrick Tam, that the Yuan campaign is engaging in race-politics.

Such suggestions could be made about many campaigns across the country, and I'm not sure I would have looked carefully at this article except for the fact that Tam is the one that lodged the complaint. Tam covers political events for all parties, and in all my interactions with him, the strong impression made upon me by Patrick is that he is a man of fairness and integrity. Between Tam's involvement and the fact that it's playing out in my riding the story has naturally caught my attention.

Here is the advertisement which sparked the controversy. Note it's paid for by a third party. The campaign denies foreknowledge, of course.

Additionally, an official advertisement released by the Yuan campaign exhorts:

Please unite, on 10/14 cast a vote for your ethnic Chinese candidate, Wendy Yuan.

Patrick points this out as a racist appeal for votes and I agree. Candidates shouldn't be asking for the vote based on their race or skin colour, and nor should their supporters. Sadly this approach typifies much of campaign 2008 where the politics of attack and division have dominated over that of ideas and the future.

Here is the response by Yuan's principal challenger, Don Davies.

This article updated to include a more accurate translation of the quote attributed to the Yuan campaign as well as further coverage of this story:

• Critic accuses Liberal Yuan of prejudice (Oct 13, The Tyee)